Lente 1606

This small print, whose maker is currently unknown, is entitled "Spring." It's an etching, a printmaking technique that was particularly popular in the Netherlands, where this print is held. The figure is a personification of the season, indicated by the word "VER," short for "vernum," the Latin term for spring. The figure's nudity and garland of flowers suggest nature's fertility, a theme often associated with the early modern period. Astrology was commonly accepted during this period, the signs for Aries, Taurus, and Gemini - the Zodiac symbols associated with Spring - appear in the upper register. This image likely circulated as part of a larger series of prints depicting the seasons or the months. Art historians consult primary source documents like printmaker inventories and sales records to establish the cultural context for images like this. Such investigations reveal the place of this print within the commercial system of early modern Europe.